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Article In: Language Problems and Language Planning: Online-First Articles

Singular to plural

From language problem to language problems

 | University of Hartford
ORCiD logo with link | Universität Hildesheim
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Abstract
In 1952, the Universal Esperanto Association (UEA) founded its Centre for Research and Documentation (CED) to develop and publish scientific documentation on the so-called “world language problem”. In 1969, CED launched a scholarly journal, La Monda Lingvo-Problemo (LMLP), to stimulate multilingual scholarly debate on the language situation of the post-war world. In those same years, in the West and elsewhere, new political ideas and movements were arising, in all social spheres, aiming at freedom, justice, and equal rights. In this same spirit, the Esperantic Studies Foundation ([ESF] Esperantic Studies Foundation — [URL]) was founded to support, financially and morally, similar studies. In 1974, governance of UEA moved to a new generation of postwar leaders, resulting in a renewal of ideas and debate on linguistic justice. It became clear that there was no single world language problem with a single solution, but that the field of linguistic justice, language rights and interlinguistic communication was much broader and multifaceted. Under the influence of new developments in social and political linguistics, the journal was retitled Language Problems and Language Planning (LPLP) and CED redefined its field of study from world language problem to world language problems. In 2026, LPLP reached its fiftieth annual volume.
Zusammenfassung
Vom Singular zum Plural: Vom Sprachenproblem zu Sprachenproblemen
Im Jahre 1952 gründete der Esperanto-Weltbund (UEA) ein Forschungs- und Dokumentationszentrum (CED) mit dem Auftrag, wissenschaftliche Dokumentation zum so genannten “Welt-Sprachenproblem” zu erarbeiten und bereitzustellen. 1969 gab CED die wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift La Monda Lingvo-Problemo (LMLP) heraus, die eine Wissenschaftsdebatte über die sprachliche Verfasstheit der Nachkriegswelt anregen sollte. Gerade in dieser Zeit entstanden in den Ländern des Westens und darüber hinaus neue politische Ideen und Bewegungen für Freiheit, Gerechtigkeit und Gleichberechtigung in allen Gesellschaftsbereichen. In diesem Geiste wurde in den USA die Esperantic Studies Foundation ([ESF] Esperantic Studies Foundation — [URL]) gegründet, um Forschung zu solchen Themen finanziell und moralisch zu fördern. 1974 übernahm eine junge Nachkriegsgeneration die Leitung der UEA, wodurch die Ideen und Debatten über sprachliche Gerechtigkeit neuen Schwung erhielten. Man erkannte, dass es nicht nur ein einziges weltweites Sprachenproblem mit einer einzigen Lösung gibt, sondern dass sprachliche Gerechtigkeit, Sprachenrechte und sprachübergreifende Kommunikation ein sehr viel weiteres und facettenreicheres Themenfeld sind. Unter dem Einfluss neuer Entwicklungen in der Soziolinguistik und der Sprachpolitikforschung wurde die Zeitschrift in Language Problems and Language Planning (LPLP) umbenannt und CED sah sein Forschungsobjekt nicht mehr als das Welt-Sprachenproblem, sondern als die Sprachenprobleme der Welt. Im Jahre 2026 erscheint der 50. Jahrgang der Zeitschrift LPLP.
Resumo
Singularo al pluralo: De la lingvo-problemo al lingvaj problemoj
En 1952, Universala Esperanto-Asocio (UEA) fondis Centron de Esploro kaj Dokumentado (CED), kiu ellaboru kaj disponigu sciencan dokumentaron pri la tiel nomata “monda lingvo-problemo”. En 1969 CED lanĉis sciencan revuon, La Monda Lingvo-Problemo (LMLP), por sproni multlingvan sciencan debaton pri la postmilita lingva situacio de la mondo. Ĝuste en tiuj jaroj en la landoj de la Okcidento kaj aliloke leviĝis novaj politikaj ideoj kaj movadoj celantaj liberecon, justecon kaj egalrajtecon en ĉiuj sociaj sferoj. En tiu etoso fondiĝis en Usono Esperantic Studies Foundation ([ESF] Esperantic Studies Foundation — [URL]), kiu celu subteni, finance kaj morale, tiutemajn studojn. En 1974 UEA transiris al nova generacio de postmilitaj gvidantoj, el kio rezultis nova vigliĝo de ideoj kaj debatoj pri lingva justeco. Oni ekkomprenis, ke ekzistas ne unusola monda lingvo-problemo kun unusola solvo, sed ke la temaro de lingva justeco, lingvaj rajtoj kaj interlingva komunikado estas multe pli vasta kaj multfaceta. Sub influo de novaj evoluoj en socia kaj politika lingvistiko, la revuo renomis sin Language Problems and Language Planning (LPLP) kaj CED redifinis sian studobjekton de monda lingvo-problemo al mondaj lingvaj problemoj. En 2026 LPLP atingis sian 50-an jarkolekton.
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